The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-31
. The oueen,s HIshwax.

The Journey through the Dominion Of
Canada from ocean to ocean has been minute
ly described in large octave volume OF more
than 400 pages. and bearing the title OF Tho
Queens M9h,oav. by Mr.. STUART CUMBERLAND
London. Sampson Low. Marston. searle. l.
Rivington). The author Of this book reached
the western terminus OF the railway by tho
mail steamer from Sydney to San Francisco,
from which, point he took the regular
weekly steamer to Victoria on Van
couver Island. Thence he crossed the
Strait to the city Of Vancouver. which is in
tended to be the future terminus on the main
land OF British Columbia. although Port Moody
is tho place at which the road now actually
ends. It was still questionable. however, at
the time when this book was written whether
the Canadian Pacific authorities although
they had arranged to build extensive terminal
works at Vancouver. would be permitted to
make direct connection with Port Moody
The courts. 1t seems, have In one case decided
that the charter Of the road does not allow IL
to be carried beyond tho Iast-named town.
After reading the writer's description Of Port
Moody we share his surprise that 1t should
ever have been selected as the terminus-
Few persons are aware how eauable is the ell
mate OF British Columbia in the neighborhood
Of Vancouver. or how high Is the temperature
relative to the latitude. It seems that In some
years the gooseberry buds open In February,
that. at the beginning OF March. native hemp
Is three inches high, and by May potatoes arc
above ground. Meteorological observations
made In 1860 every day throughout the year
gave the following astonishing results. The
mean heat Of the whole year was about So
Fahrenheit. In January. the coldestamonth, It
was $50. and in August, the hottest month. It
was GO. II. however. you leave Vancouver
Island and the mainland coast and travel
through the interior of British Columbia, you
encounter greater variety Of climate than In
any other country OF tho size. Mr.. Cumberland
confirms the current impression that 1t will be
impossible in British Columbia to farm on q
large scale. The fertile areas are small and
widely scattered.
In chapter entitled The Halfway House,
Mr.. Cumberland allots about hundred pages
to description of what he saw in Winnipeg.
Here the mean temperature In July and Au-
gust he found to be about go Fahrenheit where
as In winter It is about 32o Even In tho cold
est winter days In Winnipeg the climate 10 not
80 trying as in northern Europe. the atmos-
phere boing at all times rare and clear. Mr..
Ioberland has something to say about the
projected railway from Winnipeg to York
Factory. and points out that by the
Hudson's Bay route some OF the Ameri-
can corn fields would DO brought 1000
miles nearer by rail. But of course the danger
is that corn shipped to York Factory could not
get out OF Hudsons Bay before the close Of
the navIgable season. Mariners familiar with
these waters maintain that 1t is impossible to
navigate Hudson's Straits In steamers In con-
sequence OF the floating ice, which would
crush tho propeller 1t is worth remember
ng. however, that tho distance from York Fac
tory to Liverpool Is less than 5000 miles.
There Is no doubt that. besides recording
what he saw. MIR. Cumberland has collected a
great deal OF useful statistical information
about the regions traversed BY the Canadian
Pacific. that IL nowhere else obtainable be-
tween single pair OF covers.